Biomaterials employed for neural stimulation, as well as brain/machine interfaces, offer great perspectives to combat neurodegenerative diseases, while application of lab-on-a-chip devices such as multielectrode arrays is a promising alternative to assess neural function in vitro. For bioelectronic monitoring, nanostructured microelectrodes are required, which exhibit an increased surface area where the detection sensitivity is not reduced by the self-impedance of the electrode. In our study, we investigated the interaction of neurons (SH-SY5Y) and glial cells (U-87 MG) with nanocolumnar titanium nitride (TiN) electrode materials in comparison to TiN with larger surface grains, gold, and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. Glial cells showed an enhanced proliferation on TiN materials; however, these cells spread evenly distributed over all the substrate surfaces. By contrast, neurons proliferated fastest on nanocolumnar TiN and formed large cell agglomerations. We implemented a radial autocorrelation function of cellular positions combined with various clustering algorithms. These combined analyses allowed us to quantify the largest cluster on nanocolumnar TiN; however, on ITO and gold, neurons spread more homogeneously across the substrates. As SH-SY5Y cells tend to grow in clusters under physiologic conditions, our study proves nanocolumnar TiN as a potential bioactive material candidate for the application of microelectrodes in contact with neurons. To this end, the employed K-means clustering algorithm together with radial autocorrelation analysis is a valuable tool to quantify cell-surface interaction and cell organization to evaluate biomaterials’ performance in vitro

<p>While fresh vegetables (FVs) consumption is essential for public health, some high-profile outbreaks that cause severe illnesses are related to their consumption. To illustrate, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. per year; of them, about 46% are associated with FVs. The economic impact of food safety issues, estimated at $51 billion annually, is due to medical costs, productivity losses, and loss of consumer trust (Hoffman et al., 2021). </p> <p>The proliferation of risk mitigation methods (GAP, HACCP), food safety policies (FSMA), and information (labels, media, government) out in the market today, suggests that the way consumers understand food safety might be different from what policymakers, researchers, and retailers try to communicate. In addition, consumers' heterogeneous perceptions and beliefs can make communication with policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders ineffective when assessing food safety risks. </p> <p>Given the high demand for FVs and the communication mismatch with consumers, it is crucial to understand how consumers value food safety when purchasing FVs. This study clustered FVs consumers based on their food safety concerns. First, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified the most relevant food safety dimensions. Later, using the food safety dimensions, this study segmented FVs consumers based on their food safety concerns. Finally, through a Multinomial Probit model (MNP), this study provided the main factors driving cluster membership.</p> <p>Our results suggest the existence of four segments of FVs consumers: “Worriers” (45% of our sample), who highly valued all the food safety characteristics when buying FVs. “Labelers” (20.3% of our sample) mainly valued attributes related to nutritional and environmental characteristics. “Pretty Vegetables” (17.3% of our sample) searched for the best and safest produce possible. Lastly, “DIYers” (17.3% of our sample) valued the least variables related to convenience in FVs. Finally, some of the main drivers of cluster membership were related to demographics, consumption, information sources, and perceptions about food safety of FVs consumers. These results can help policymakers, researchers, and retailers communicate food safety information more efficiently among different segments of consumers.</p>

Recent AI advancements have prompted calls for regulatory measures, which have faced opposition due to foreign policy concerns about China. This study researches the origins and implications of these concerns by analyzing U.S. public opinion toward China in the context of AI and foreign policy. It examines how these attitudes correlate with social and political factors and uses the ‘Micro-Foundation of International Relations Theory’ to assess potential impact on U.S. policies. The research employs a quantitative analysis of 2018 survey data from the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. Using game theory models, the study operationalizes foreign policy attitudes through survey responses. Responses are analyzed utilizing cluster analysis, logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression. The results indicate that 21% of the U.S. population adopts more conflict-promoting views, likely individuals with high political capital and conservative leaning. Another 29% share the first group’s general opinions and characteristics but differentiate in prioritizing U.S.-led de-escalation and liberal-leaning. 29% support cooperation with China but also preemptive armament; they are younger, liberal-leaning, and have lower political capital. 20% abstained from expressing clear opinions due to lack of knowledge, indicating socio-economic disparities. Policy implications include a future high risk of an AI arms race.

When students use an online eTextbook with content and interactive graded exercises, they often display aspects of two types of behavior: credit-seeking, and knowledge-seeking. Any given student might behave to some degree in either way in a given assignment. In this work, we look at multiple aspects of detecting the degree to which either behavior is taking place, and investigate relationships to student performance. In particular, we focus on an eTextbook used for teaching Formal Languages, an advanced computer science course. This eTextbook is using Programmed Instruction (PI) framesets to deliver the material. We take two approaches to analyze session interactions in order to detect credit-seeking incidents. We first start with a coarse-grained approach by presenting an unsupervised model that clusters the behavior in the work sessions based on the sequence of different interactions that happens during them. Then we perform a fine-grained analysis where we consider the type of each question in the frameset, which can be a multi-choice, single-choice, or T/F question. We show that credit-seeking behavior is negatively affecting the learning outcome of the students. We also find that the type of the PI frame is a key factor in drawing students more into the credit-seeking behavior to finish the PI framesets quickly. We implement three machine learning models that predict students' midterm and overall semester grades based on their amount of credit-seeking behavior on the PI framesets. Finally, we provide a semisupervised learning model to aid in the work session labeling process. / Master of Science / Students frequently exhibit features of two types of behavior when using an online eTextbook with content and interactive graded exercises: credit-seeking and knowledge-seeking. When solving homework or studying a material, students can behave in either manner to some extent. In this research, we study links between student performance and different elements of recognizing the degree to which either behavior is occurring. We concentrate on an eTextbook used to teach an advanced computer science course, Formal Languages and Automata, using a teaching paradigm called Programmed Instruction (PI). In order to detect credit-seeking instances, we use two ways to study students' behavior in the Programmed Instruction sessions. We begin with a coarse-grained approach by building a model that can categorize work sessions into two groups based on the interactions that occur throughout them. Then we do a fine-grained analysis in which we analyze the question types in the framesets and their effect on the students' behavior. We show that credit-seeking behavior has a negative effect on students' learning outcomes. We discovered that the PI frame type is an important factor in enticing students to engage in credit-seeking behavior in an attempt to finish PI framesets fast. Finally, we present three predictive models that can forecast the students' midterm and total semester grades based on their credit-seeking behavior on the Programmed Instruction framesets.

Yes / Payment incentives are known to influence healthcare but little is known about the impact of paying directly for achieved outcomes. In England, novel purchasing (commissioning) of National Health Service (NHS) stop smoking services, which paid providers for quits achieved whilst encouraging new market entrants, was implemented in eight localities (primary care trusts (PCTs)) in April 2010. This study examines the impact of the novel commissioning on these services. Accredited providers were paid standard tariffs for each smoker who was supported to quit for four and 12 weeks. A cluster-controlled study design was used with the eight intervention PCTs (representing 2,138,947 adult population) matched with a control group of all other (n=64) PCTs with similar demographics which did not implement the novel commissioning arrangements. The primary outcome measure was changes in quits at four weeks between April 2009 and March 2013. A secondary outcome measure was the number of new market entrants within the group of the largest two providers at PCT-level. The number of four-week quits per 1,000 adult population increased per year on average by 9.6% in the intervention PCTs compared to a decrease of 1.1% in the control PCTs (incident rate ratio 1108, p<0001, 95% CI 1059 to 1160). Eighty-five providers held 'any qualified provider' contracts for stop smoking services across the eight intervention PCTs in 2011/12, and 84% of the four-week quits were accounted for by the largest two providers at PCT-level. Three of these 10 providers were new market entrants. To the extent that the intervention incentivized providers to overstate quits in order to increase income, caution is appropriate when considering the findings. Novel commissioning to incentivize achievement of specific clinical outcomes and attract new service providers can increase the effectiveness and supply of NHS stop smoking services.

Clustering of observations into groups arises as a fundamental challenge both in academia and industry. Many clustering algorithms exist, and the most widely used clustering algorithm, the K-means, notably suffers from sensitivity to initial allocation of cluster centers. Moreover, many heuristics and algorithms have been developed to find the best initial allocation, and this experimental study compares methods of initialization by measuring how well the initialization methods perform on simulated, small datasets, through various performance criterion. The results show that using the output clusters of a Hierarchical clustering is the best initialization method. Moreover, the most popular methods, Random partitioning and KMeans++, perform poorly. Although the experimental setup may favour some initialization methods over others, the applied researchers are recommended to perform a Hierarchical clustering as an initialization of the K-means algorithm.

Tesis por compendio / [ES] La esencia del presente trabajo radica en comprender el fenómeno del desarrollo del producto innovador verde y cómo se puede estar constituyendo a nivel de las empresas del sector manufacturero en beneficio del desempeño organizacional. Por tanto, desde una perspectiva teórico-exploratoria, con esta tesis doctoral se desea contribuir al conocimiento mediante una propuesta de reconfiguración sistémica organizacional enfocada a la creación del producto innovador verde, de tal manera que permita a las empresas del sector manufacturero mitigar y/o eliminar impactos negativos al medio ambiente, posibilitando, asimismo, la obtención de ganancias financieras, procurando el desarrollo sostenible. Para los fines mencionados anteriormente, se constituyen tres rutas estratégicas. En primera medida, se constituye un framework que contempla a la organización como un sistema abierto interrelacionado, sobre la base de determinantes del producto innovador verde, de siete nuevas capacidades de innovación y de cinco dimensiones organizacionales. Seguidamente, se procede con el análisis con relación a qué configuración de capacidades de innovación verde y dimensiones organizacionales pueden explicar un mayor logro del producto innovador verde. Finalmente, a modo específico se prueba si la adopción y el uso alto de la capacidad de producción verde y la tecnología como puede estar afectando al desempeño organizacional. Los análisis exploratorios parten de dos ediciones de la Encuesta Europea de Innovación en Producción, la cual es aplicada a empresas del sector manufacturero. En esta tesis, en un primer momento, se trabajan con las sub-muestras de España y Croacia, posteriormente, con las sub-muestras de Croacia, Lituania, España, Serbia, Eslovaquia, Eslovenia y Suecia. La tesis está constituida por tres artículos, donde respectivamente se desarrollan los objetivos de investigación y se presentan los hallazgos que surgen a partir de los estudios. Los resultados advierten sobre la necesidad de una reconfiguración organizacional a nivel de empresas del sector productivo, estipulada sobre la base de las siete capacidades de innovación verde y las cinco dimensiones organizacionales analizadas, en procura de dar soporte a los determinantes del producto innovador verde, contribuyendo de forma directa al desempeño sostenible. Asimismo, se identifica como la capacidad de producción verde y la tecnología en su adopción y sus niveles de uso alto presentan un impacto significativo en el desempeño ambiental y en el financiero. Por tanto, esta tesis de doctorado brinda aportes que confirman repercusiones teóricas y prácticas que pueden corresponder a oportunidades para académicos, profesionales y entidades gubernamentales. En consecuencia, esta investigación entrega orientaciones sobre cómo utilizar estos resultados en el desarrollo de futuros trabajos de investigación, planes estratégicos o gubernamentales. / [CA] L'essència del present treball radica a comprendre el fenomen del desenvolupament del producte innovador verd i com es pot estar constituint a nivell de les empreses del sector manufacturer en benefici de l'exercici organitzacional. Per tant, des d'una perspectiva teorico-exploradora, amb aquesta tesi doctoral es desitja contribuir al coneixement per mitjà d'una proposta de reconfiguració sistèmica organitzacional enfocada a la creació del producte innovador verd, de tal manera que permeta a les empreses del sector manufacturer mitigar i/o eliminar impactes negatius al medi ambient, possibilitant així mateix l'obtenció de guanys financers, procurant el desenvolupament sostenible. Per als fins esmentats, es constitueixen tres rutes estratègiques. En primera mesura, es constitueix un framework que contempla a l'organització com un sistema obert interrelacionat, sobre la base de determinants del producte innovador verd, de set noves capacitats d'innovació i de cinc dimensions organitzacionals. A continuació, es procedeix amb l'anàlisi amb relació a quina configuració de capacitats d'innovació verda i dimensions organitzacionals poden explicar un major èxit del producte innovador verd. Finalment, a mode específic es prova si l'adopció i l'ús alt de la capacitat de producció verda i la tecnologia pot estar afectant l'exercici organitzacional. Els anàlisis exploradores parteixen de dos edicions de l'Encuesta Europea de Innovación en Producción, la qual és aplicada a empreses del sector manufacturer. En aquesta tesi, en un primer moment, es treballen amb les submostres d'Espanya i Croàcia, posteriorment, amb les submostres de Croàcia, Lituània, Espanya, Sèrbia, Eslovàquia, Eslovènia i Suècia. La tesi es constitueix de tres articles, on respectivament es desenvolupen els objectius d'investigació i es presenten les troballes que sorgeixen a partir dels estudis. Els resultats adverteixen sobre la necessitat d'una reconfiguració organitzacional a nivell d'empreses del sector productiu, estipulada sobre la base de les set capacitats d'innovació verda i les cinc dimensions organitzacionals analitzades, en procura de donar suport als determinants del producte innovador verd, contribuint de forma directa a l'exercici sostenible. Així mateix, s'identifica com la capacitat de producció verda i la tecnologia en la seua adopció i els seus nivells d'ús alt presenta un impacte significatiu en l'exercici ambiental i en l' financer. Per tant, aquesta tesi de doctorat, brinda aportacions que confirmen repercussions teòriques i pràctiques que poden correspondre a oportunitats per a acadèmics, professionals i entitats governamentals. En conseqüència, aquesta investigació entrega orientacions sobre com utilitzar aquests resultats en el desenvolupament de futurs treballs d'investigació, plans estratègics o governamentals. / [EN] The essence of this work lies in understanding the phenomenon of the development of green product innovation and how it can be constituted at the level of companies in the manufacturing sector for the benefit of organizational performance. Therefore, from a theoretical-exploratory perspective, this doctoral thesis aims to contribute to knowledge through a proposal of organizational systematic reconfiguration focused on creating green product innovations, in such a way that it allows companies in the manufacturing sector to mitigate and/or eliminate negative impacts on the environment, also enabling the obtaining of financial profit, and seeking sustainable development. For the above-mentioned purposes, three strategic routes are constituted. In the first place, a framework that contemplates the organization as an interrelated open system is constituted, based on determinants of the green product innovation, seven new innovation capabilities, and five organizational dimensions. Next, an analysis is made in relation to which configuration of green innovation capabilities and organizational dimensions can explain a greater achievement of green product innovation. Finally, it specifically tests whether the adoption and high use of green production capability and technology may be affecting organizational performance. The exploratory analyses are based on two editions of the European Manufacturing Survey, which is applied to companies in the manufacturing sector. In this thesis, at first, the sub-samples of Spain and Croatia were used, and subsequently the ones from Croatia, Lithuania, Spain, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden. The thesis consists of three articles, where the research objectives are respectively developed and the findings that arise from the studies are presented. The results warn of the need for an organizational reconfiguration at the level of enterprises in the productive sector, stipulated on the basis of the seven green innovation capabilities and the five analyzed organizational dimensions, in order to support the determinants of green product innovation, contributing directly to sustainable performance. Likewise, it is identified as the green production capacity and the technology in its adoption and its high levels of use present a significant impact on environmental and financial performance. Therefore, this doctoral thesis provides contributions that confirm theoretical and practical reactions that may correspond to opportunities for academics, professionals, and government entities. Consequently, this research provides guidance on how to use these results in the development of future research work and strategic or governmental plans. / The study recieved funding from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) project titled Efficiency, Innovation, Competitiveness and Sustainable Business Performance (EFICOSPER), ECO2017-86054-C3-3-R. T / Serrano García, J. (2023). Desarrollo del producto innovador verde desde sus antecedentes hasta el impacto: evidencia de acuerdo con la Encuesta Europea de Innovación en Producción [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/192654 / Compendio

This exploratory study set out to uncover views from the Occupy Movement’s Johannesburg leg. The Occupy Movement arose in late 2011, aiming to occupy public space and challenge conventional economics, politics, and governance. Data were collected by means of an online survey amongst 39 ‘core’ members of the group. The study took up a mixed methods approach underpinned by critical realism. Basic descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were used to analyse 6 closed-ended survey items in a quantitative fashion; thereafter, 4 open-ended items were qualitatively examined by delineating responses into discursive themes based on response content and positions taken up by respondents in their claims and statements. Finally, a cluster analysis was performed in order to cluster or profile significant groups that emerged from the data based on demographics, selection of closed-ended items, and quantitatively transformed response content to qualitatively examined open-ended items. It was found that the sample mirrored the demographics present in foreign movements as it was primarily male (61.5%), white (87.2%), highly educated (51.4% holding a bachelor’s degree or higher) and young (74.4% in the 21 to 40 age range). Furthermore, it was found that within a group that stood against various macro-level social systems, confidence in all social institutions was extremely low, in particular for big corporations, national government, and political parties. This sample was highly comparable to a representative South African sample as regards their views on the causes of social division; the factors that were seen as most socially divisive (in descending order) were: (1) socio-economic status; (2) race; (3) politics; (4) cultural differences; (5) language; (6) religion; (7) AIDS/disease. Qualitatively, the first item asked whether or not they believed that their movement lacked focus. Upon analysis it was found that four distinct themes existed in response: (1) duality (those revealing support for the movement but disdain for its processes); (2) aggressive justification (vehement justification and defense of the Occupy stance); (3) denial (lacking full knowledge of Occupy processes but ardently defending them while moving away from the difficult questions); (4) straddling the fence (vague and contradictory positions). Members responded to the question of whether their movement differed from foreign movements by stating that it did, based primarily on local socio-historical, economic, and contemporary issues peculiar to South Africa – these members sought a special place for their movement and acted in contradiction to the global Occupy stances; others said no and based this on appeals to homogeneity of cause, global concerns, and an Occupy solidarity. When asked why they, personally, were motivated to engage with the movement, the sample maintained either: (1) the unfair world argument (a strong theme in which perceived ‘systemic unfairness’ proved motivation enough); (2) socialist argument (a string of socialist-based positions connected to classic socialist disdain for the creation of capital, accruing of personal wealth, estrangement of labourers from produce etc.); (3) personal plight argument (exclusively personal standpoints appealing to individual socio-economic woes). Finally, pressure was placed upon the Occupy protestors to reveal what their ideal, utopian society would look like, given the option. The sample called for: (1) orthodox anarchy (stark calls for 4 absolute anarchy); (2) anarchic socialism (marrying socialism and anarchy – less extreme than anarchy, more equal than capitalism, incorporating multiple freedoms and backed by orthodox socialist rhetoric); (3) advancing through decentralized civil society (no clear ideology, rather providing a special place for civil society with few central power structures; driving forth through family and community); (4) fundamental equality and freedom (emphasis of final desires over process and ideology with a belief that society does not require strict regulation, it rather holds its own ‘homeostatic’ capabilities). The hierarchical cluster analysis for this study found 4 distinct clusters; each cluster was defined by a generally homogeneous set of responses and demographics. Significantly, cluster 3 included 50% of the cases analysed (50% of the sample) and uncovered a common profile (homogeneous demographics, vastly similar stances on sources of social division, similarity in terms of confidence in social institutions, and agreement on the rationale and motivation to be personally involvement in Occupy). Cluster 4 consisted of so-called outliers. / Psychology / M. A.( Psychology with specialisation in Research Consultation)

Inequalities in levels of health between regions within a country are frequently regarded as a problem. Zimbabwe is characterised by poor and unequal conditions of health (both the state of people’s health and health services). The health system of the country shows severe spatial inequalities that are manifested at provincial, district and even local levels. This research therefore examines and analyses the spatial inequalities and temporal variation of health conditions in Zimbabwe. Composite indices were used to determine the people’s state of health in Zimbabwe. Administrative districts were ranked according to the level of people’s state of health. Cluster analysis was also performed to demarcate administrative districts according the level of health service provision. Districts with minimum difference were demarcated in a single cluster. Clusters were delineated using data on patterns of diseases and health and such clusters were used to demarcate the country’s spatial health system according to the Adapted Epidemiological Transition Model. This was used to evaluate the applicability of the model to Zimbabwe. It emerged from the research that generally the country’s health conditions are poor and the health system is characterised by severe spatial inequalities. Some districts are experiencing poor health service provision and serious health challenges and are still in the age of pestilence and famine but others have good health service provision as well as highly developed health conditions and are in the age degenerative diseases of the epidemiological transition model. It further emerged that the country’s health has been evolving with signs of improvement since the 1990s. Recommendations were made regarding possible adjustment to previous strategies and policies used in Zimbabwe, for the development of the health system of the country. New strategies were also recommended for the improvement of the health system of the country. Some proposals are made for further research on the spatial development of health in the country. / Geography / D. Litt et. Phil. (Geography)

The development of non-traditional communication channels in recent years has progressively created a world more digital, networked and interlaced by a myriad of communication tools than ever before. With Facebook being the most prevalent social network, this study aims to guide local organisations to use Facebook optimally to communicate with their customers. The study strives to incorporate the latest ideas about social media marketing in the relevant literature with the opinions of local social media marketing experts. The generally ineffective use of Facebook as a communication channel by small, inexperienced organisations is seen as a justification for identifying a set of criteria to guide organisations in using Facebook pages as a driver of communication. The empirical phase of the research produced a list of seven guidelines on the optimal use of Facebook pages for marketing purposes, which might assist South African companies in developing their marketing strategies. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)